ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Mich. – A jury deliberated for just an hour and returned a guilty verdict, causing the nightmare to be over for the victim’s family finally.
After more than four decades, Karen Umphrey’s loved ones have closure.
“It is my hope that after 44 years, the family of Umphrey can breathe a little easier knowing that her killers have been brought to justice,” said St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King.
Two hunters found her body with two gunshot wounds to the head on Nov. 2, 1980.
Over the years, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department detectives struggled to solve the case.
“DNA evidence and other evidence collection were not available back then, and the case was continuously passed on from detective to detective,” King said.
Detective Ed Silver took over the case in 2022. King says Silver poured over the evidence, interviewed witnesses, and looked at new technology available.
“MSP forensic science laboratories in Orhram specializing in forensic genetic evidence was key in the case,” King said. “Genetic material was located on the victim’s clothing at the time of the incident that she was wearing.”
King says evidence was uncovered linking Douglas Laming to Umphrey.
King says a second suspect in the case, Anthony Harris, agreed to a DNA sample, which was confirmed to be a match.
This week, Harris pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Laming.
Laming was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury on Thursday (Oct. 10).
“I want to personally thank the work done by all the detectives, the prosecutor’s office, the witnesses that came forth, and everybody that continued to have faith that we would be able to come to some kind of the conclusion of this case,” King said. Forty-four years is way too long to wait."
Sheriff King read a statement from Humphrey’s family. The family said they hope and pray that the families of unsolved homicides find the justice they just received. They also said that miracles do happen.
